This pretty variegated weigela shrub is blooming now in my backyard.

Variegated weigela with pink flowers blooms in May in Seattle

Participating in Pink Saturday, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Monday Mellow Yellows, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. How about a new tag or category while you are here? Pink, perhaps?

My sister was in the south of France recently and took this photo of the blood-red poppies.

Red, red poppies in a field in the south of France

Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Skywatch Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog curly letters above to see a few recent photos here. Thank you.

Sometimes there’s a break in the clouds.

Sometimes the sun does break through the gray clouds.

Participating in Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Skywatch Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. Try clicking on a tag in the tag cloud in the sidebar at right for some interesting images on a theme.

The Pike Place Market is where flower junkies go for their fix. This bucket of blue Dutch iris buds is ready to go home with YOU.

True blue Dutch irises get ready to bloom at Seattle’s Pike Place Market

Linking up to Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Blue Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks so much for your visit here, and please come back again soon.

Just a few short weeks ago, the Japanese magnolia in my backyard was in bloom. This photo is one of my very top faves and I am calling it my weekly Top Shot.

Pink and white Japanese magnolia blossom, up close

Participating in Pink Saturday, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday,  My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Try a new tag or category while you are here, perhaps?

We have some artistic knitters in Burien, Washington. This yarn-covered bike rack (and more, not shown) is what some creative person or persons did to decorate the bike rack at the Burien Community Center recently. Stuff like this really floats my boat.

Colorful yarn-bombing of a bike rack in Burien, WA

Joining this link with Good Fences Thursday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Pink Saturday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. If one photo only shows on this page, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos above for some more. Thanks!

Seattle has had rain, and lots of it. We’re normally pretty damp, but this is WET.

Rain-drenched red rhododendron flower

Linking up to Water World Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and please come back soon.

A local spot that has live music for dancing most nights, CC’s in Burien, had an incredible bouquet of pink tree peonies on the bar. Each blossom was as big as my head!

Large pink tree peony in a bouquet graces CC’s Lounge in Burien, Washington

Participating at Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category while you are here, or search in the upper right sidebar for a favorite flower to see what comes up.

The little city of Burien, Washington, has a very sculptural clock. Here it is as it looked on Art Walk the other evening, in extremely fine weather. See the crescent moon in the sky, adding to the ambiance?

More sculpture than clock, Burien is lucky to have this special timepiece.

Joining up with Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. If one photo only shows here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos above for a few more. Thanks!

Burien, Washington is a small city west of SeaTac Airport. Once a month they do an art walk in Olde Burien. This appears to be self-portraits by some local students. I love these paintings. I hope the artists don’t mind this post!

I call this image “Artistic.” Young Burien-area artists show their own faces to the world at Art Walk.

Linked to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Weekend Reflections, Our World Tuesday, Blue Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Saturday Show Off. Click on a new tag or category as long as you’re here, why not?

One more birthday-related post. When I was a kid, my mom usually made us a strawberry shortcake for our birthdays. She isn’t here now, so if I want one, it’s up to me. I had some people here and this is what I made. It was good. Here is the recipe I used.

Lots of fresh strawberries, real whipped cream, and a “from scratch” sponge cake for a perfect birthday dessert

Participating in Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog curly letters above to see the rest of the latest photos here.

A friend sent me one of the prettiest birthday bouquets I’ve ever had. I just know the florist was told “make it fragrant,” using lavender roses and purple and lavender stock! What a great combination, and such a festive gift.

Purple and lavender stock, and heavenly lavender roses, in a perfect florist bouquet

More wonderful images at Garden Party Thursday, Seasonal Sundays, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category while you are here. How about “rose” in the tag cloud at right?